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Getting Started with HausFlow

This guide is for people who want more clarity without building a giant life-management machine.

Before you choose an edition, read Current Product Core if you need to understand what this repo actually implements today.

Step 1: Understand the current codebase reality​

HausFlow is documented as a multi-edition platform, but this repository is not a full parity build of every edition.

Today:

  • Family is the active implementation
  • Roommate is an edition model with partial/shared support, not a fully mirrored app surface in this repo
  • Professional / white-label is strategic direction, not a shipped product layer here

That means the best starting path in this codebase is Family-first, with shared core docs above it.

Step 2: Choose the Right Edition Lens​

Use HausFlow Family if you need:​

  • warmer, family-centered language
  • parent and kid coordination
  • household rhythm and routines
  • reduced home mental load

Use HausFlow Roommate if you need:​

  • adult-neutral language
  • fairness between equals
  • shared agreements and proof flows
  • accountability without parental framing

Use future Professional or white-label editions if you need:​

  • partner branding
  • edition-aware feature controls
  • the same systems foundation with different presentation

Step 3: Start Small​

No matter the edition, the first setup should include:

  • one shared space or household
  • a short list of visible responsibilities
  • one or two repeatable flows
  • a simple reset pattern for off weeks
  • expectations that are clear enough to act on

1. Start with one household, not every possibility​

Create the household and keep the first setup small. Do not model every edge case on day one.

2. Make responsibilities visible​

Start with the work that creates the most repeat stress:

  • dinner cleanup
  • trash or kitchen reset
  • laundry handoff
  • move-in or restock tasks
  • weekly reset

If a responsibility matters repeatedly, it should be visible somewhere other than one person's head.

3. Build one routine before five​

Choose one flow the group can actually sustain:

  • morning launch
  • dinner cleanup
  • bathroom rotation
  • move-out prep
  • bedtime close

Give it a clear owner or agreement path, a simple order, and a definition of done.

4. Use reminders and proof rules carefully​

The product already supports reminders and proof-policy logic. Use them to reduce confusion, not to create a surveillance feeling at home.

Reminders should reduce friction. Proof should be used where clarity matters, not as the default emotional posture of the household.

If your system creates more defensiveness than clarity, the system needs work.

5. Add a weekly reset​

Once the first flow is working, add a short weekly reset:

  • what worked this week
  • what got dropped
  • what feels unfair
  • what needs to change next week

This keeps small problems from becoming household resentment.

A Good First Month Looks Like This​

Week 1​

  • environment created
  • first routine defined
  • responsibilities visible
  • reminder tone agreed on

Week 2​

  • first routine repeated a few times
  • one confusing handoff fixed
  • at least one person knows exactly what "done" means for one recurring task

Weeks 3-4​

  • weekly reset begins
  • missed days are handled without drama
  • a second routine can be added if the first one is stable

Start smaller than you think. A working system beats an ambitious one every time.